MA (Psychology) / Department of Psychology / See the attached abstract below

MPH / Department of Public Health / See the attached abstract below

MRDV / Institute for Rural Development / Traditional medicine still plays a bigger role in people dealing with health and disease. Research shows that in some Asian and African countries, traditional medicine forms the primary mode of health care for 80% of the population. This is actively promoted in South Africa and is used by at least 70% of the country’s population. This study investigated the contributory factors leading mental health care users to use a combination of traditional and modern medicine in rural areas. The study was conducted using qualitative research methods. The population of this study were MHCUs, Mental health practitioners and traditional healers. Purposive sampling was used to select participants. Data was analyzed through a computer programme called Atlas TI. The results revealed the following as contributory factors leading mental health care users to use modern and traditional medicine in rural areas : cultural factor , belief in witch craft , influence by significant others (family members and friends), poor PHC intervention and treatment method. Recommendations to the health care practitioners and policy makers around the use of traditional and modern medicine was made based on the findings.

MA (Sociology) / Department of African Studies / The aim of the study was to investigate the challenges faced by families living with mentally ill relatives in Thulamela municipality in the Vhembe district, Limpopo province. The objectives of the study were to investigate the impact that caring for a mentally ill person had on the family members; to explore the strategies adopted by families to enable them to cope better with the challenges they faced when caring for their mentally ill relatives; and to understand the support services that were provided to families by health care professionals to enable them to cope with such challenges. A Nonprobability sampling, in particular its subtype convenience samplings was used to select five families who participated in the study. A semi-structured interview schedule was used to collect data from the main care givers and a focus group discussion took place to gather more in-depth information from at least three members of each family. Those selected to participate in the study were all family members who were involved in the care giving responsibility. All participants were caring for mentally ill relatives diagnosed with schizophrenia, substance induced psychosis or bipolar affective. The care recipient had to be admitted at Hayani psychiatry hospital. Data extracted from the participants was analysed thematically following the six stages of thematic data analysis.The research findings obtained from family caregivers from Thulamela municipality found in the Vhembe district within the Limpopo province, highlighted that taking care of a family members with mental illness comes with a number of challenges. The impact was experienced by all members of the family irrespective of the age, social or financial status. The impact was experienced emotionally, physically, socially and financially. All participants also reported to be experiencing burnout. They prefer their loved ones to remain living in mental institution as it gives them a chance to live normal lives. / NRF

A study was conducted to describe and interpret the personal strategies that South African Police Service officers in the Vhembe District, Limpopo Province, use in their line of work. These are strategies to deal with the impact of the primary victims’ critical incidents of rape, domestic violence, murder and road accidents. The focus was on describing the impact of the critical incidents that the officers are exposed to, which manifest in a form of traumatic stress, namely, vicarious traumatisation, and management of this impact. Twenty participants were selected through purposive and theoretical sampling techniques from the family violence, child protection and sexual offences, domestic violence, field training, detective and social crime prevention units. Unstructured open-ended interviews, diaries and follow-up telephone interviews were used as data collection methods and data were collected in the participants’ home languages, Tshivenda and Xitsonga. Data gathered necessitated looking into both the aspects of the officers’ organisational and operational work. Data were thus analysed through the content thematic and constant comparative data analysis methods. The results first presented a profile of police vicarious traumatisation in the Vhembe District, which include the types of critical incidents exposed to, the organisational and operational stressors that lead to vicarious traumatisation, and the description of vicarious traumatisation symptoms. Second, a theoretical framework of the process of police critical incidents impact management (PCIIM) was developed. The framework shows that the management of the impact of the encountered incidents is inspired by various coping needs and subcultures of the officers, and the management takes place through the use of two styles of trauma management, namely, the linear and multilateral styles, which refer to application of coping strategies successively and the combination of horizontal and vertical application of coping strategies, respectively. The coping strategies used by the officers help them to have an objective understanding of the critical incidents encountered, have less severe symptoms of vicarious traumatisation, some symptoms last for shorter periods than before, and other symptoms are no longer experienced. Resilience to the encountered incidents is shown through the development of coping strategies to handle the incidents, facing them, and showing cognitive hardiness. The officers also manage to reflect on the experiences encountered, engage in narratives about them and mutual help thus still working towards attaining posttraumatic growth. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

The lack of a contextualised, relevant communication strategy focusing specifically on HAST diseases in the Limpopo Province was the impetus for this research. The purpose of this study was, therefore, to explore the knowledge, perceptions and utilisation of health facilities for HAST in order to develop an acceptable and effective communication strategy for the Province to address the high rate of HAST diseases. The study followed a qualitative approach guided by the major tenets of the Health Belief Model, namely, to determine modifying factors, individual beliefs and cues for action. An in-depth literature review was followed by focus group interviews with the community members and personal interviews with District and Provincial Deputy Directors. Based on these findings, a communication strategy was drafted and piloted for three months in one of the districts in Limpopo. Further refinement of the communication strategy followed after member-checking and further interviews with directors HAST. The final strategy specifically focused on risk groups with each of the diseases in terms of their beliefs and perceptions. It further resulted in guidelines for health providers in terms of the content and implementation of effective communication strategies within the context of educational, cultural, social and economic factors relevant to Limpopo / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)

A study was conducted to describe and interpret the personal strategies that South African Police Service officers in the Vhembe District, Limpopo Province, use in their line of work. These are strategies to deal with the impact of the primary victims’ critical incidents of rape, domestic violence, murder and road accidents. The focus was on describing the impact of the critical incidents that the officers are exposed to, which manifest in a form of traumatic stress, namely, vicarious traumatisation, and management of this impact. Twenty participants were selected through purposive and theoretical sampling techniques from the family violence, child protection and sexual offences, domestic violence, field training, detective and social crime prevention units. Unstructured open-ended interviews, diaries and follow-up telephone interviews were used as data collection methods and data were collected in the participants’ home languages, Tshivenda and Xitsonga. Data gathered necessitated looking into both the aspects of the officers’ organisational and operational work. Data were thus analysed through the content thematic and constant comparative data analysis methods. The results first presented a profile of police vicarious traumatisation in the Vhembe District, which include the types of critical incidents exposed to, the organisational and operational stressors that lead to vicarious traumatisation, and the description of vicarious traumatisation symptoms. Second, a theoretical framework of the process of police critical incidents impact management (PCIIM) was developed. The framework shows that the management of the impact of the encountered incidents is inspired by various coping needs and subcultures of the officers, and the management takes place through the use of two styles of trauma management, namely, the linear and multilateral styles, which refer to application of coping strategies successively and the combination of horizontal and vertical application of coping strategies, respectively. The coping strategies used by the officers help them to have an objective understanding of the critical incidents encountered, have less severe symptoms of vicarious traumatisation, some symptoms last for shorter periods than before, and other symptoms are no longer experienced. Resilience to the encountered incidents is shown through the development of coping strategies to handle the incidents, facing them, and showing cognitive hardiness. The officers also manage to reflect on the experiences encountered, engage in narratives about them and mutual help thus still working towards attaining posttraumatic growth. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

PHDRDV / Institute for Rural Development / Institute for Rural Development and Poverty Alleviation

MCur / Department of Advanced Nursing Science / Stress management is a major challenge in South Africa, as well as other countries. Job stress has negative effect on professional nurses ’rendering of patient care. They should thus be able to manage their stress successfully in order to render quality nursing care to the customers. The purpose of the study was to identify and describe factors contributing to stressors among professional nurses, the effects of stressors on the wellbeing of professional nurses and the management of stress by professional nurses. METHOD: A quantitative, exploratory, descriptive design was utilised. The target population of this research study comprised of all professional nurses who were at work the day the researcher visited the sampled hospitals. The questionnaires were used to collect data from the sampled professional nurses, and descriptive statistic was used to analyse the data. RESULTS: The findings revealed that 45% of the professional nurses experienced pressure of work without rest, whereas 75% viewed changes at work as challenging and 15% mostly experienced accidents while on duty. Most of them indicated that they had previously iii experienced anxiety and that they did not engage in exercise. The finding further revealed that EAP is not facilitated in most institutions and that 97.4% of the professional nurses like to have more knowledge on management of stress. The results of this study may be useful to the entire population of health professionals, policy

MCur / Department of Advanced Nursing Science / Background: In South Africa the Mental Health Care Act No. 17 of 2002 direct district hospitals to render 72-hour assessment of the MHCU’s. In Vhembe district 72- hour assessment is implemented in public general hospital. Purpose: The study determined the experiences of family members regarding 72-hour assessment admission of MHCU’s at selected hospital in Vhembe District. Methodology: The research design was qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual in nature. The study population consisted of the family members of the MHCU’s admitted for 72-hour assessment. Purposive sampling was used to select 10 family members. This study used in-depth individual interviews to collect data until data saturation was reached and analysed using Tesch’s steps. Ethical consideration and measures to ensure trustworthiness were given attention to throughout the study. Results: Three themes emerged from analysed data which is negative experiences of family’s members, family member’s experience on coping mechanism and structural constraints. Recommendations: This study recommends further research study on the development of a model to support the family members in their caregiving role The study recommends further research study on the experiences of the health care professional regarding 72-hour assessment of a MHCU’s / NRF